Two Hazleton Area Runners Win 'Triple Crown' Prizes In Carbon

A pair of Hazleton runners were named winners of the 1985 Lite Beer Triple Crown conducted by the Switchback Road Runners Club of Jim Thorpe.

The awards were presented at a dinner Saturday in Jim Thorpe Memorial Park.

Kim Sweda, who placed first in all three events, was named the winner of the women's category, and Steve Gasper, third place winner in the 6.2-mile Jim Thorpe run, first in the 10-mile Panther Valley Run and second in the 10-K Switchback Scamper, won the men's division. Sweda had a cumulative time of 2:26.28.9 and Gasper, 1:56.50.2.

First through third place in both the mens and womens divisions received trophies, and the runner-ups received Lite Beer Triple Crown mugs. The presentations were made by Rocco Colangelo, president of theQuality Beverage Distributors of Hazleton Inc.

Tracy Ashner finished second in the women's division with a combines time of 2:32.00.3. Rounding out the top five were Joanne Klitsch, third, 2:49.08.0; Audrey Tkach, fourth, 3:00.35.9, and Bernadette Marzen, fifth, 3:09.17.2.

Triple crown winners in each age category for men were Scott Coll, 14-18, 2:29.52.8; Joe Hedash, 25-29, 2:37.59.9; Ric Patton, 30-34, 2:38.00.4; Don Coombe, 35-39, 2:29.21.8; Steve Mardyniak, 40-49, 2:28.54.4, and Skip Fisher, 50 and over, 2:48.54.2. The top finishers in each age group received mugs, except for the 14-18 winners, who received trophies.